What is Wagyu Beef?

You’ve probably heard of Kobe beef. It’s legendary for superior flavor, buttery texture, and perfect marbling. Kobe is not a breed, though. Wagyu is the breed, and Kobe beef comes from the Wagyu breed of cattle raised in the Kobe region of Japan. Just as “Champagne” can only come from the Champagne region in France, Kobe can only come from Kobe, Japan.

Often called “American Kobe,” Wagyu meat is renowned for the same superior taste characteristics, tenderness, and marbling as traditional Japanese Kobe. In fact, Wagyu beef marbling is so superior to domestic American beef that a combination American/Japanese grading system is used. USDA Prime (the highest-graded USDA grade for beef) ranges from 3+ to 4. Wagyu beef receives a 5 to 8 on the more stringent Japanese scale. Moreover, Washington State University researchers, who study the Wagyu breed, found that Wagyu beef cuts are marbled with monounsaturated fat—the healthier fat. American-grade beef is marbled primarily with saturated fat, which is linked to heart disease. To see test results for fat profile that we have had conducted on our beef can be found here.

Is Pasture Prime Wagyu Different from Other American Wagyu?

There are very few American Wagyu farms in the U.S. At Pasture Prime, our grass-fed Wagyu stands out for the following reasons:

Wagyu Genetics: The majority of our herd comes from purebred Wagyu cattle. Most Wagyu on the market today is only 50% Wagyu or less.

100% Traceable: With the exception of our foundation and breeding stock, all of our grass fed Wagyu are born and raised by our family on our sustainable farm.

What does that mean for you? When you buy Wagyu beef from our family farm, you’ll be confident that our grass-fed Wagyu are 100% traceable. Our Wagyu beef carries the consistent meat characteristics that have made the breed famous, and you won’t have to worry about the health risks associated with cattle finished in feedlots, also known as Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs).

Grass-Fed Beef, Raised in Florida on Our Family Farm. Better for the Animals, the Environment, and You.

Our family raises the Wagyu cattle on our sustainable farm in Florida. Our Wagyu herd has plenty of pasture to graze in, and they grow up in a low-stress environment. Our farm is a carefully managed sustainable operation that benefits the environment, instead of harming it.

The Pasture Prime Wagyu Beef Story: How We Obtained Our Superior American Wagyu

We purchased our Wagyu stock from Gerry Pittenger’s Blue Rock Cattle Company in Washington State. Gerry worked closely with Washington State University to develop and improve the foundation of Wagyu cattle in the States. When you buy grass-fed Wagyu from our Florida farm, know that we stand behind the quality-breeding of our animals. Our goal is to improve the phenotypic and genotypic traits of our stock so that generations to come will be enjoying our superb pasture-fed meats.

History of the Wagyu Breed

The gentle Wagyu breed has a truly unique history which is responsible for producing the healthiest, most flavorful and tender meat available today in the US. In the 2nd century, Wagyu came to Japan from the Korean peninsula and South China. They were used primarily as draft animals. With heavy workloads and marginal feed they developed the ability to store any extra energy as intramuscular fat. This contributes to the marbling and tenderness present in the breed today. The animals were able to quickly draw on this fat when they were called upon for explosive energy during their “pulling” efforts. The added benefit of this readily available energy source, was that the Wagyu fat forms as a light and healthy monounsaturate.

In time, Wagyu were appreciated for their superior meat qualities, their calm nature and their efficient feed conversion. A small number of genetic lines were brought to the US in the 1980’s and 90’s. However, Japan has since declared the cattle a national treasure and has ceased all exports.